


Among the Clouds

by CorsetJinx



Category: Final Fantasy IV: The After Years
Genre: Gen, Nostalgia, father-son bonding, fluff for moon rabbits
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-20
Updated: 2016-02-20
Packaged: 2018-05-22 07:13:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6070044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CorsetJinx/pseuds/CorsetJinx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A moment alone, between the throne and the skies.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Among the Clouds

**Author's Note:**

> Set about 5+ years after game.

“You have done well, I think.” It was an understatement but that didn’t lessen the glowing note of pride in the Paladin’s voice. Even though violet eyes were focused on the slowly darkening horizon stretching wide over Baron, Cecil sensed his son perking up at the compliment.

“Kain has been an excellent teacher.” Bashful laughter filled the Knight’s voice, Ceodore’s footsteps lightly scuffing the stone as he moved closer to the balcony’s rail to join his father. “And so are you, father.” The young man added, as if he thought his father might take some offense.

It made the King of Baron laugh instead, soft and low.

“I think you are neglecting to mention your mother, Ceodore. Rosa was the one who helped with your travels to Troia, not I.” The teasing lilt in Cecil’s voice did not go unnoticed and when the older man turned his head he found Ceodore smiling at him.

Cecil smiled back.

“You’ve all taught me considerably more than I could have hoped to learn on my own, and you know it.” Ceodore’s eyes crinkled in the corners as his smile widened with his short laugh. The Crown Prince sobered a moment later, expression remaining soft. “I wish I knew of a way to thank you all for it.”

“Be true to yourself and what you believe is right.” Cecil responded. Simple, honest. “That is all I will ask of you, Ceodore.”

“You and mother. At least Kain will tell me when and how I’m wrong.” The slightly shorter Harvey shook his head, leaning forward to brace his arms on the banister before him. Cecil made no reply to that, simply quirking blue lips into a faint smile as he looked out towards the sky once more.

They were both quiet for several minutes, watching the orange tinted clouds fade into rose.

“You were Captain of the Red Wings before me.” Ceodore spoke, the words themselves more of a statement than a question.

Cecil sensed something waiting beyond it and kept his tone soft and light. “I was.”

Ceodore’s blond hair caught some of the fading sunlight, brightening for a second in the remaining luminescence. “Is there anything that you miss from those days, Father? You..” The prince paused, searching for appropriate words. “You’ve told me about them but I never knew if you missed it.”

The Paladin felt himself frown pensively, his gaze becoming distant as he thought back more than a decade ago.

Ceodore watched flickers of memory and emotion pass over his father’s face, some complicated and others that were perhaps more nostalgic. At length Cecil seemed to find an answer, drawn-in set of his face lightening into a brief smile.

“I miss the wind that would follow us on the airships.” The older man said it plainly, fondness creeping into his eyes. “It would get under our armor and chill us to the bone even on the hottest summer day,” Ceodore felt himself nod, unwilling to interrupt his father but he knew the sensation Cecil was describing quite well. “It was our closest companion, next to each other. After that, I suppose, would be the view.”

Pale white hair shifted as the King raised his head, peering up at the pinpricks of stars just beginning to peek out. Ceodore thought that the look his father had became a searching one, as if he were hoping to spot something in particular.

“There isn’t really a substitute for it - the view of the world from the deck of an airship.” The words came softly and Cecil lowered his gaze back to his son, away from the emerging tapestry of stars.

Ceodore’s features softened in agreement, a faraway look in his blue eyes as he recalled such a memory for himself.

“But nothing really compared to the view from the Lunar Whale, did it?” Ceodore asked softly, somewhat hesitant as the question left him. He’d only experienced it twice, which seemed like very little compared to what stories had been shared of the first Crystal War.

“No. There really isn’t a comparison.” Cecil’s lips quirked faintly, one calloused hand settling on Ceodore’s shoulder and squeezing once.

They both smiled at the same time, Cecil’s hand returning to his side as father and son turned their eyes to the view outside the castle once more - spots of light in the growing darkness where the town of Baron rested, smaller ones blinking in and out in the courtyard where fireflies danced about.

A single moon hung in the sky, pale white instead of red.

**Author's Note:**

> Not enough father and son bonding fic in this fandom, so here we go.


End file.
